Wedding Date: June 28, 2019
How did you meet and what was your proposal story?
We met through mutual friends. Ryan saw a picture of me and called dibs. He DM’d me something super lame on Instagram and I didn’t respond. We met at a New Year’s Eve party, and the first thing we talked about was the Minnesota Vikings. We kissed at midnight. The rest was history.
Ryan and I both knew early on we were each other’s person. I kept hinting that I wanted him to propose! He told me he had to go to the Twin Cities for work, which was normal. In reality, he was going to the cities for work AND to meet my parents to ask for their blessing to marry me. After that, Ryan bought a ring. He had it for a couple months before deciding the right time to pop the question. We were at his family’s lake cabin on Diamond Lake. We were sitting on a bench at the end of the dock, his arm around me, admiring the sunset and talking about some of his favorite lake memories. He did a yawn and stretch, so I stood up and turned to head towards shore. He grabbed my hand, and I turned around to find him getting down on one knee. I said, “Ryan, what are you doing?” He started to say, “Carise, you are the most beautiful, passionate, and….” I didn’t hear anything else. As soon as he stopped talking, I kissed him! I forgot to say yes and just kissed him over and over while my legs were shaking. When he stood up, my 5’10” self hugged his 6’7” frame, and I literally fell into his hug. Ryan pointed back to the porch where his sister-in-law was recording and his father was taking pictures to capture the moment. When we got off the dock, his mom greeted us with almond champagne (my fav). I couldn’t even hold my drink because I was shaking with excitement. That night I called all of my friends and family to share the news. Ryan said he had never seen me so giddy.
What was the inspiration for the look and feel of your wedding?
Rustic, Barn, Woodsy, Floral, Friendly, Romantic
What was the significance of your wedding location?
It was in Rochester, Minn., which is where we met.
What was your favorite moment in your ceremony and reception?
Ryan’s favorite was the whole day. My favorite part in the ceremony was walking down the aisle to my best friend with our friends and family standing to support us. I also LOVED our first look. It was intimate and beautiful. I couldn’t wait to finally get to see him.My favorite part of the reception was probably when Ryan surprised me with a super goofy, unexpected flash mob with my brother to Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus’s Old Town Road. (insert facepalm)
Would you change anything if you could do it over again? If so, what?
For the most part, no! We totally forgot to do a bouquet toss! We would do that. We would have also planned a secret dance routine to perform.
What advice do you have for other couples planning their weddings?
The day is literally about the two of you. Take time to adore each other in the first look, during the ceremony, and during the first dance. The ceremony and reception are more than just pictures. Do what will make you happy. The day flies by in the blink of an eye. Treasure every moment.
What did you do for your honeymoon?
We wanted to save to go somewhere tropical for a honeymoon, but couldn’t afford that right away. We looked at AirBNBs in northern Minnesota and found a cute lake house in Henning. We both love Minnesota summers and days on the lake. Looking back, we would have scheduled our honeymoon sooner. The AirBNB’s were pretty picked over, but we enjoyed our private getaway and certainly made some memories.
WEDDING TEAM
CEREMONY/RECEPTION: Mayowood Stone Barn
OFFICIANT: Wayne Allen
CAKE/DESSERT: Hy-Vee Barlow
CATERING AND EVENING SNACKS: Pinnacle Catering
FLORIST: Flowers By Jerry
INVITATIONS: Vistaprint
HAIR: Stephanie Knutson and Kristan Adkins
MAKEUP: Kenz Peterson
BRIDAL GOWN: Mestad’s
BRIDESMAIDS’ DRESSES: Mestad’s
TUXEDOS: Men’s Wearhouse
RECEPTION MUSIC: Chris Williams
PHOTOGRAPHER: Midwest LifeShots Photography
VIDEOGRAPHER: Ambient House Productions
RENTALS: Mayowood Stone Barn
